Abu Dhabi Criminal Court expands on activating trial remotely

ABU DHABI, The Abu Dhabi Criminal Court has expanded the Remote
Trial System to include all its departments by using video conference
technology.

The move is part of Abu Dhabi Judicial Department’s strategy for
business continuity and remote work, in line with precautionary measures to
reduce the spread of the new coronavirus, COVID-19.

Counsellor Yousuf Saeed Al Ebri, Under-Secretary of the Abu
Dhabi Judicial Department, ADJD, affirmed that the expansion of the application
of remote litigation regulations reflects the level of achievements in developing
the judicial system, in accordance with the directives of H.H. Sheikh Mansour
bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Presidential Affairs
and Chairman of the ADJD, to keep pace with developments to enhance the
efficiency of litigation and ensure the effectiveness of the criminal justice
system.

Counsellor Al Ebri said that the activation of the remote trials
system through visual communication technology in the ADJD in cooperation with
the police authorities, enhances the quality of judicial services with speedy
adjudication of cases, ensuring the quality of judicial decisions.

For his part, Judge Al-Awadhi Al-Mehri, President of the Abu
Dhabi Criminal Court, explained that remote litigation in the criminal courts
allows the trial of the defendant while he is in the penal and correctional
facilities, via video conference, and then the decision or judgment is issued.

He added that the application of this system is based on Federal
Law No. 05 of 2017 regarding the use of video conference technology in criminal
proceedings, which allowed the competent authorities to use that technology in
proceedings with the accused, victim, witness, lawyer, expert, translator, the
civil right claimant or the official.